Who was in the May 2024 box?

Everything goes wrong but our friends in Antwerp (BE) come to the rescue!

Cars in Ruda Śląska (PL), Bricks and coffee in Tallinn (EE).

And hopefully some more colors in our coffee in Aix-en-Provence (FR).

Ruda Śląska - Poland

Krzysztof Nowak

Polish artist Krzysztof Nowak shows mastery in vector illustration, displaying his exceptional skills in a high-quality portfolio.

His eye for detail is remarkable and he infuses dynamic compositions with a touch of humour that adds an extra layer of charm to his work.

And I think he really likes to draw cars 🙂

Please tell us more about the person behind these artworks.

I'm just a regular dude, a husband, and a father of two fantastic little girls.

I was lucky enough to work on illustrations with some of my favorite brands around the world, but the project that brings me the most joy is my Futuro Darko comic universe.

Since when are you drawing these comic illustrations?

Since I was a kid, for a few years more or less professionally.

You seem to like drawing cars.

Is there a reason for that?

Well, I was always very interested in automotive history and cars overall, cars are really graceful objects to draw.

Coffee and art Jerry thinks this is a perfect combination.

What do you think?

No doubt.

It is one of the best combos anyone could think of.

Jerry is going to Poland shortly, what can we do in Ruda Śląska?

Ruda Slaska is an industrial city famous for its mining history with some interesting, old industrial objects to visit.

I think it can be a beautiful city to some, but it sure is for me.

Also, it is a part of the biggest city complex in Poland called The Upper Silesian Industrial Region.

All cities within this complex are next to each other like really close each with some unique attractions.

You won't be bored here.

To finish, we are always looking for new artists and coffee roasters to collaborate with.

Are there any you can recommend to us?

Sure!

You should call Michał Bogulski.

https://www.instagram.com/tenbogul

"Godspeed."

Tallinn - Estonia

THE BRICK

We came back not just for the sauna and spa culture.

But to visit our friends at The Brick once again.

I wonder if their tunnel to Helsinki is ready yet....

Do you remember your coffee beginnings,

how did you get into coffee?

Funny enough, it all started in Belgium.

About 8 years ago I visited Gent for the first time – this was my first year living in Antwerp.

I passed by this coffee shop and saw a coffee cost 8 euros on the menu – at that time this was ridiculous enough for me so I HAD to order this.

It happened to be a half-a-liter brew of Chemex and the moment I sipped this for the first time – I was sold..

What was the most memorable coffee in your life,

and was there one you’d like to forget?

I would say that this first visit to Gent had to be my most memorable moment in coffee.

Unfortunately, I do not remember what coffee that was, but it was good enough to have me change my career choices.

What motivates you to keep on roasting these super nice coffees?

I feel like my personal motivation for staying in coffee has changed a lot over time.

When I started at Cuperus Koffie, I was still a student and very glad to have found a whole new world for myself to discover.

As time passed, thriving for better quality was something that kept me going – it’s like this wave that a couple of times a year the new crop was coming and that kept me excited and curious, always looking for better and more interesting and new coffees.

Nowadays, relationships with farmers, coffee prices, and operating our roastery sustainably are what thrive us most.

Everyone always thinks of Scandinavia when they think of specialty coffee.

But this scene is much bigger on your side of Europe.

Can you tell us about it?

Well, Scandinavia altogether shaped a lot of the specialty coffee scene that we know today.

At least in Europe.

The reason for that was simple – for a long time all Scandinavian countries had the highest coffee consumption per capita.

With such demand, there's a lot of healthy competition for quality and development.

On the other hand, in countries like Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as the demand is lower, the expectation for quality is lower.

I do think that by having more small roasters in our region, we can reach further and get more people to consume higher quality coffees – let’s see if that will actually work.

What can we expect from your coffee?

Fernando Escobar is an exceptional producer and this year is the first year we started working with his coffees.

This washed coffee brings together everything we love in Pacamaras – it’s sweet, it’s soft, it’s floral.

You can expect a sweet chamomile and elderflower tea with a bit of honey and citrus.

Will you share with us your favorite places in Tallinn?

Love the food and wine at Barbarea, great cocktails at Whisper Sisters, and great beer at Mikkeller Old Town.

“Loveroom”

by Frank Harries and Maria Marquez is a great tune.

Aix-en-Provence - France

Colors

We are in the city of thousands of fountains.

This is where the famous post-impressionist painter Cézanne was born and raised.

The perfect city to find art and coffee!

Jerry is curious about the story of Colors Coffee.

Colors Coffee was born from a simple question?

"How do you start the day in the best possible way?

With a good coffee."

With Colors Coffee, I want to share my know-how, my taste discoveries, and my passion. 

For me, good coffee is essential, it accompanies different moments of our day but whatever happens, it's a well-being break, a moment that we take for ourselves, so it's essential to do it with quality coffee!

At Colors Coffee, we want you to discover a brand that offers quality products with a fun, dynamic look.

Our products are carefully selected for their quality. 

For the moment Colors Coffee is mainly an e-shop, we sell our coffees to individuals but also to professionals (Concept store, delicatessen, restaurant...).

We have lots of ideas for developing the brand but we're going to keep it a secret for the time being...

What is your favorite coffee you roast and why?

I choose our coffees according to their geographical origin, their altitude, the way the beans are processed, and their aromatic profile.

These are the criteria that determine the selection.

Not forgetting their taste, each coffee is tasted and analyzed.

What interests me in coffee is its personality and its presence on the palate.

I also try to have a varied and complementary range of coffees, which helps me to choose my products and respond to different demands.

The customer must have a varied and quality choice.

All my beans are roasted (medium roast) to reveal 100% of their flavor in the cup.

Do you have a favorite spot in your neighborhood?

Aix-en-Provence is a very dynamic and friendly town, typical of the South of France.

Every street corner is open to new encounters and discoveries.

As well as being a coffee roaster, we have had a family-run Ethiopian restaurant in the center of town for over 7 years.

Can you name one thing about coffee that people still don't understand?

Having the best Specialty coffee in the world is great, but ... If you don't have the right grind for your machine and if you don't use water with a low mineral content (extraction temperature of around 90 degrees), you won't get the results you want.

If you follow all these instructions (and if, as an option, you have a really good coffee machine)?

You'll have an incredible cup.

Do you remember your coffee beginnings,

how did you get into coffee?

My name is Hénoc, and I'm a micro-brewer of specialty coffees based in Aix-en-Provence. 

Before getting into coffee, I was an Art Director (with expertise in user browsing in the web environment) in the world of communications. 

I decided to take the plunge and start roasting specialty coffees in March 2020.

For several years now, I've wanted to develop my skills in a more authentic environment that embodies the values I hold dear: sharing and know-how.

After a few months of reflection and planning, I finally launched Colors Coffee and I can now say that it's my little baby. 

I'm of Franco-Ethiopian origin, and I've lived in Ethiopia for many years, so I've been immersed in the world of coffee ever since I was a child because coffee in Ethiopia is a bit like a religion.

I've recently met several people who have really inspired me to delve into this world, and I've realized that there's a whole world out there to be discovered and discovered by others.

I think that specialty coffee is still too little known in France, so I wanted to be one of those roasters who help people discover new flavors with every cup of coffee. 

How can we persuade more people to embrace the wonders of specialty coffee?

Any advice you'd like to share?

Morning or evening, it's always a good time to enjoy a good cup of coffee.

During a break or after a meal, it's our moment, and spending it with a good coffee is even better.

An invitation to travel!

"A quality coffee is a unique coffee that complies with very strict criteria, from harvest to cup.

- The coffee trees are grown naturally (at the right altitude) on small plots in the middle of nature (good soil quality, etc.).

- The fruit must be selected by hand and picked when ripe.

- It must be processed in such a way as to preserve all its quality and potential.

My job as a roaster is to bring out the full sensory and taste potential of the beans."

Antwerp - Belgium

Caffènation

When everything is going wrong,

it’s always nice you have friends you can count on!

God bless Caffènation!

Hi Rob,

you are the founder and driving force behind Caffènation.

For Jerry, and I think for a lot of Antwerp coffee lovers, this is the place where my specialty coffee story started.

When and how did your whole Caffènation story start?

In 2003 when I couldn’t find a job and two freelance jobs came to an end before the bar, I was helping with the opening, stopped prematurely, so I decided to do it myself.

Who started roasting and who is roasting now?

We started roasting in 2010 with Jazzy Jeff as head roaster.

He is still in charge now, helped by Yannick and Giel.

It looks like a job at Caffènation is the perfect base for Antwerp coffee lovers to start their own business.

The coffee scene is growing fast in this city, people seem to love the black gold and coffee culture.

How do you explain?

It’s a worldwide phenomenon.

Antwerp is probably doing better because we made a solid base and the city is vibrant by itself.

We hope this continues.

Good coffee with love and honesty for all clients.

I’m jealous of people who can nip some coffee and instantly be like, “Round body, red apple, hint of fig and jasmine tea. Bang!”

How can I learn this?

By doing….

The more you practice, the easier it gets.

A flavor wheel could help.

Or our info cards with descriptions….

If not drinking coffee, what do you drink?

Beer.

Do you still brew coffee at home?

And what is your favorite method?

Wilfa coffee maker.

The Mocca Master is a big over rated machine, in my humble opinion.

The Aeropress coffee maker is the ideal companion when traveling.

Do you have a role model that you look up to in the coffee industry?

Long ago Geoff Watts, vice president of Intelligentsia.

Chris Baca is also a master in his domain and more talking about love and life, which is a good cause, it’s all relative of course.

Which golden advice do you have for specialty coffee rookies like Jerry?

Stay critical and don’t take anything for granted.

Only do business with companies that are transparent and honest.

The big coffee multinationals did fuck us for many centuries; it’s time for a payback.

Which roaster should be definitely added to one of the next Jerry boxes and why?

Hard to tell.

There are many international if you consider importing.

Eastern Europe seems to be the future of coffee in Europe, maybe even in the world.

“Cheers!"

we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!     we're the artists!